Ever made a timpano? Well, I have, and let me tell you, it ain’t facile, as the Italians say. This dome-shaped wonder—a symphony of pasta, meatballs, salami, eggs, and cheese baked inside a golden crust—is a dish that demands patience, precision, and a deep respect for the culinary gods. In Big Night, Stanley Tucci and Campbell Scott’s 1996 indie masterpiece, the timpano is more than just a meal. It’s an offering, a desperate last stand, a love letter to authenticity in a world that increasingly favors the bland and the predictable.
Set on the Jersey Shore in the 1950s, Big Night follows brothers Primo (Tony Shalhoub) and Secondo (Tucci), Italian immigrants running a struggling restaurant. Primo, a culinary purist, refuses to compromise his art for the watered-down palates of his American clientele, while Secondo, the pragmatic businessman, sees their dream slipping away. Their last-ditch effort? A lavish feast to impress the famous Italian-American bandleader Louis Prima, whose patronage might just save their restaurant.
Food lovers and cinephiles alike are in for a treat on February 28, when the Reher Center and the Kingston Film Foundation present a screening of Big Night. More than just a movie, this is an event—an evening of culture, cuisine, and community. Attendees will indulge in Italian food from Masa Midtown and sip wine curated by Kingston Wine Co., setting the perfect mood for a film that celebrates the sensual pleasures of the table. Doors open at 6pm, with the screening beginning at 7pm.
With a cast that includes Isabella Rossellini, Minnie Driver, Ian Holm, and a pre-“Monk” Tony Shalhoub delivering a performance as simmering as a slow-cooked ragu, Big Night is a poignant, funny, and mouthwatering meditation on ambition, family, and the immigrant experience. It’s a film that leaves you hungry—not just for food, but for the kind of meals that nourish the soul as much as the stomach.
So come for the movie, stay for the vino, and leave with a renewed appreciation for the artistry of a perfectly executed meal. Just don’t expect a timpano to be waiting for you—it takes a special kind of devotion to pull that off. But after watching Big Night, you might just be inspired to try.
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This article appears in February 2025.
